Laundry press



N H A K M L LAUNDRY PRESS Original Filed Deo. 2G, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheetv l BY F50* ATTORNEY L. M. KAHN LAUNDRY PRESS Nov., E99 1935.

26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Dec ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 26, 1929, Serial No. 416,461 Renewed September 22, 1934 18 Claims.

This invention relates to presses.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved press which Will be adapted to a greater variety of classes of Work and which will perform its work more quickly and satisfactorily.

It is a further object to provide a press which will impart an improved finish to the work.

It is a further object to provide a press which will impose a friction upon the work during ironing contact and which will maintain that friction, as desired, and more particularly to impose that friction from the pressure of the press itself.

It is a further object to provide a new and improved mechanism in accordance with which a press may be caused either to close and stay closed, or to oscillate between the closed position to an open or partly open position at any predetermined rate of speed.

It is a further object to provide a press which will be rugged in construction and simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the fea- "tures of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a press embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation with the head and buck in a horizontal plane of contact.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the press controlling mechanism in the position with the press in the open position of rest.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View showing the position of the valves when the manual valve has been moved to cause the press to close and remain closed but before the press has actually moved to the closed position.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but after the press has moved to closed position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but with the manual control valve thrown to the position to cause the press to repeat, the press being in closed position ready to start on its opening movement but before that movement has commenced.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 'I but after 5 the press has opened sufciently to throw the repeat valve to cause it to close again.

In the drawings the numeral I designates a frame work carrying at 2 a buck support, to which is pivot-ally connected'at 3 a buck 4. As illus- 10 trated, the pivotal point of the buck is preferably to one side of the center of the buck and a resilient means, such for example as a spring 5, is carried beneath the other side of the buck .to resist tilting movement in response to pres 15 sure. Any suitable means may be employed to limit the tilting movement of the buck about its pivot, that here shown being an arm 6 having an arcuate slot 'I engaging a pin 8 upon the buck support. The buck may be provided with suit- 20 able spring padding as shown at 9, if desired.

A lever III pivoted to the frame I at II has pivoted to it at its outer end, as shown at I2, a head I3. This pivot I2 is not in alinement with the pivot 3 of the buck and it is preferably within 25 the scope of this invention to one side of the center line of the head, being shown on the opposite side of the center line from the pivot 3.

Springs I4 bearing against brackets I5 carried by the arm I0 serve as a resilient support 30 for the free side of the head, and a link I6 has an arcuate slot I1 engaging with a pin I8 upon the bracket I5 to limit the movement of the head.

'I'he lever I0 is operated by a power mechanism conventionally shown as a cylinder and 35 piston 20 operating a bell crank lever 2|, one arm of which 22 is connected to the lever I0 by a link 23 so that the arm 22 and link 23 form a toggle joint for the operation of the press.

The stop pins I8 and 8 may be arranged so 40 that the buck and head come into initial contact when they are substantially in the horizontal plane as shown in Figures 2 and 3. It will be seen, however, that with the above construction as soon as the pressure is applied, the buck and 45 head tilt about their respective pivots and due to this motion, eITect a sliding motion relative to each other so that a friction is imposed upon the work during each opening and closing movement of the press.

Mechanism is provided whereby the press may be caused at will either to remain in the closed position to impose a static pressure upon the work or to oscillate between the closed position and an open or partly opened position sufficient 55 to cause this frictional movement to be repeated.

The valve mechanism provided for this purpose is specically illustrated in Figures 4 to 8.

The numeral 25 designates amanual control valve having an operating lever 26 movable either to an ofi position 21 or to a hold position 2B or to a repeat position 29. The numeral 30 designates a repeat valve actuated by an arm 3| having a slot 32 engaging a pin 33 carried by the arm 22.

The arm 3| has an arcuate slot 34 in which there operates a pin 35 which itself controls the position of the valve, the slot 34 providing a certain lost motion between the lever 3| and the valve mechanism. The amount of this lost motion may be regulated by means of a set screw 36 which determines the effective length of theslot 34. With this construction the valve wilkbe thrown, as seen in Figure 4, counter clockwise at the extreme of the closing movement and will be given a clockwise motion during the opening movement. Compressed air is supplied to the 'manual valve 25 through a conduit 40. A conduit 4| affords communication between the valve 25 and the valve 30 to admit compressed air to operate the cylinder, and a conduit 42 connects the valve 25 with the valve 30 to serve as ameans for admitting air to the cylinder to hold the cylinder open if the manual valve is in the holding position or to `exhaust air from the cylinder through a leak valve when it is desired to have the press oscillate.

A conduit 44 leads the compressed air from the valve 30 to the cylinder and a conduit 45 is opened to the atmosphere. The conduits 40, 4|, 42, the leak valve 43 and the conduit 45 are provided with ports 4|)a, 4|a, 42a, 43a and 45a and 4|b spaced around the periphery of the valve 25 in the order named, the port 4|b bei-ng connected to the port 4|a. The rotating portion 46 of the valve 25 has a recess 41 of sufiicient area to aiord communication between the ports 40a, 4|a and 42a and a second recess portion 48 of sufficient area to afford communication between the port 4|b and the exhaust 45 when desired. As will be seen from Figure 4, these ports are so arranged that in the open position of the press, the compressed air port 40a is closed by the valve and the conduits 4| and 42 are opened to the atmosphere through the port 45.

When it is desired to operate the press and hold it closed the lever 26 is moved to the position 28 moving the manual -valve to the position shown in Figure 5 in which'the compressed air from the conduit 40 is admitted to the conduits 4| and 42 through the recess 41 while the recess 48 is moved to shut off communication through the port 4|b.

The valve 30 has ports 4|c, 44c and 42e spaced around its periphery in the order named and a recess 50 in the moving part 5| of this valve itself arranged to afford communication between the port 44e and either of the other two ports. When the press is completely opened, this recess affords communication between the port 44e and 4|c and when the press is completely closed it affords communication between the port 44e and 42e. As will be seen with this construction when the lever 26 is moved to the hold position while the press is open, air is admitted to the valve 30 through the conduit 4| and passes to the cylinder 20 through the conduit 44 thereby raising the piston to close the press. By reason of the specific. construction of the valve 30, the operating arm 3| does not shift the element 5| until substantially the completion of the closing movement so that substantially the full power to close the press is transmitted througiz. the conduit 4|.

At the end of the closing movement, however, 5

Voperation of the press, however, by reason of 10 the fact that the conduits 4| and 42 are both in communication with the source of compressed air. The press is now held in its closed position having compressed air admitted to the cylinder through the conduits 42 and l44. 15 It will readily be understood that as the press completes its movement, a frictional effect is produced upon the ironing surface by reason of the tilting of the buck and head under pressure.

Should it be desired to increase and repeat 20 the frictional movement, the lever 26 may be moved to the position 29 designated the repeat position. This rotates the member 46 to the position shown in Figure 8 wherein the recess 41 affords communication betweenthe compressed 25 air and the conduit 4| only. At the same time the recess 48 has been moved into position to atlord communication between the conduit 42 and the leak valve 43. This position is illustrated in Figure 7 in which also the control 30 valve 30 is illustrated as in the position with the press completely opened to the point where the arm 3| has operated the valve 30 to cut 01T communication between the conduit 4| and the conduit 44 and place the conduit 44 in communi- 35 cation with the conduit 42. This cuts off compressed air from the cylinder and allows the air within the cylinder to pass to exhaust through the conduit 42 and the leak valve 43. The press will now slowly return toward the open position 40 at a rate which is determined by the leakage of the valve 43 and the amount which the press opens will be determined by the dimensions of the valve 30 and the amount of lost motion provided by. the slot 34. A suitable spring 53 will 45 be used to restore the press to its open position. As particularly illustrated the press is designed during the oscillatory movement to open just sucient to cause the head to lift slightly from the buck to permit any generated steam to escape. It will be obvious, however, that the press can be caused to open completely or to shift the valve 30 before the head leaves the buck. In either event When the arm 3| changes the connections of the valve 30 so as to connect the 55 conduit 44 with the conduit 4| instead of the conduit 42, the opening movement ceases and the press again closes, and this oscillating movel ment between the closedand opened movement will continue so long as the manual valve 25 is 60 retained in the repeat position. If it is desired to operate the press as a stationary pressure press there may be provided upon the pins 8 and I8 nuts 55 and 56 adapted to retain the buck and head in their maximum tilted position when 65 the press opens.

From the above construction it will be clear that the press may be operated as a stationary press if desired to perform the ordinary Work which is customary with such presses by tighten- 70 ing the nuts 55 and 56 to hold the head and buck in ltheir maximum tilted position or the press may be caused to operate with friction at the beginning and end of the pressing movement but without friction during thel intermedi- 75 ate portionthereoi' or it may be caused to op erate continuously during the pressing movement within the control of the'operator.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and diiferent embodimentsof the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that al1 matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to coverall of the general and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope or the invention which, as a matter of language, might be-said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A press comprising a frame and a lever, "a buck pivoted to said frame and a head pivoted to said lever, out of alinement in the direction of pressure with said buck pivot, and resilient means for supporting said buck and head to urge each toward the pivot of the other.

2. A press comprising a frame and a lever, a buck pivoted to said frame and a head pivoted to said lever, out of alinement in the direction of pressure with said buck pivot, and resilient means for supporting said buck and head to urge each toward the pivotl of the other, operating means for bringing said buck and head into engagementand for releasing said head from said buck and means for repeatedly actuating and releasing said operating means.

3. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a pair of pressing elements, means for pivotally supporting each of said elements for relative movement toward and from each other, means for effecting saidmovement, means for alternately operating and releasing said moving means to cause a rhythmic oscillatory motion of said elements for creating friction therebetween and means for controlling the frequency of said oscillation.

4. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a pair of pressing elements, -means for pivotally supporting each of said elements for relative movement toward and from each other, means for effecting said movement, means for alternately operating and releasing said moving means to cause a rhythmic oscillatory motion of said elements for creating friction therebetween and means for controlling the degree of opening of said press during said oscillation for varying the pressure and consequently the friction.

5. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a pair of pressing elements, means for pivotally supporting each of said elements for relative movement toward and from each other, means for effecting said movement, means for alternately operating and releasing said moving means to cause a rhythmic oscillatory motion of said elements for creating friction therebetween and an arm operable by the movement of the parts of the press and means on said arm for varying the degree of opening of said press during said oscillation.

6. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a pair of pressing elements, means for pivotally supporting each of said elements for relative movement toward and from each other, means for effecting said movement, means for alternately operating and releasing said moving means to cause a rhythmic oscillatory motion of said elements for creating friction therebetween and means for controlling the frequency of said oscillation and the degree of opening of said press during said oscillation.

'1. A deviceof the character described, comprising, in combination, a pair of jaw supporting members, 4a pair of jaws each pivoted to one of said members, means for effecting relative movement of said members toward and from each other, the axes of said pivots being parallel to each other and out of alignment in the direction of motion of said members whereby said movement tends to cause said jaws to rotate, each about its pivot, and means to resist said rotation to exert pressure between said jaws during said rotation.

8. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a pair of jaw supporting members, a pair of jaws each pivoted to one of said members, said pivots being parallel to each other, means for effecting relative movement of said members toward and from each other, means for controlling the flow of energy to said moving means, said pivots for said jaws being out of alignment with each other in the direction of motion of said members whereby said motion tends to cause said jaws to rotate each about its pivot, means to resist said rotation vto exert pressure between said jaws during said rotation, said control means including a part operated by the movement of said membersto control the flow of energy to said moving means whereby a periodic alternate closing and releasing of said jaws is effected.

9. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination. a pair of presser jaws, a pair of jaw supporting members, each of said jaws being pivoted eccentrically to one of said members, said members being relatively movable to permit said jaws to be brought into contact, one of said jaws being movable with respect to the member to which it is attached at an angle to the direction of movement of said members, and means for eiecting relative oscillatory movement of said members alternately toward and from each other to cause a sliding motion between said jaws.

10. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a pair of presser jaws, a pair of jaw supporting members, each of said jaws being attached to one of said members, means for effecting relative movement of said members toward eachother to bring said jaws into pressing contact, one of said jaws being movable with respect to the member to which it is attached in a direction at angle to the direction of movement of said members, means for resiliently resisting said angular movement, and means controlled at predetermined positions of the members for alternately releasing and operating said member moving means.

1l. A press comprising in combination a supporting frame, a buck pivoted thereto about an axis close to the buck, a head, a head supporting member movable toward and away from the buck, said head being pivoted to said head supporting member about an axis parallel to the axis of said buck, out of alinement therewith in the direction of pressure and clos'e to the head, and means for effecting movement of the head supporting means to bring the head and buck into contact.

12. A device of the character described comprising in combination a pair of supporting members, a pair of pressing elements, one pivoted to each of said members, the pivots of each of said elements being parallel and at opposite e'nds thereof and means for simultaneously oscillating said elements in contacting relation through equal angles each about its pivot whereby said elements are caused to slide one over the surface of the other.

13. A device of the character described comprising in combination a pair of supporting members, a pair of pressing elements, one pivoted to each of said members, the pivots of each of said elements being parallel and at opposite ends thereof and means for simultaneously oscillating said elements in contacting relation through equal angles each about its pivot whereby said elements are caused to slide one over the surface of the other and resilient means for applying pressure to said elements during said oscillation.

14. A device of the character described comprising in combination a pair of supporting members, one above the other, a resiliently padded pressing element pivoted to the lower of said members, a smooth pressing element pivoted to the upper of said members, the pivots of each of said members being parallel, means for simultaneously oscillating said elements each about its -pivot in contacting relation whereby said elements are caused to slide one over the surface of the other in resilient contact with each other.

15. In a 'device of the class described in combination, a pair of pressing elements, means for pivotally supporting each of said elements at opposite ends thereof for relative oscillatory movement toward and from each other, means for eiecting said movement, and resilient means for exerting pressure between said elements whereby friction between said elements will be effected during said oscillatory movement of Same.

16. In an ironing and pressing machine a..

frame supporting a paddedbuck and a heated head, said buck and head having substantially ilat surfaces and being of the same contour, pivotal supports for said buck and head, means t'o bring said head and buck into open and closed positions and power means to oscillate said buck and head on said pivotal supports while in closed position to cause an equal movement of the two in opposite directions, and means to hinder oscillation of said head on its pivotal support when it is in open position out of contact with said buck.

17. Aa laundry press comprising a movable head and buck, means for bringing said head into contact with work placed on the buck, and means for oscillating said head and buck, when both are in contact with the work, in such manner that said oscillation results in relative movement of said head and buck in a rectilinear direction, said head and buck being equally displaced in opposite directions.

18. A laundry press comprising a buck and a pressure head adapted to exert pressure upon the surface of work placed upon the buck, said pressure head and buck being mounted for angular oscillation about parallel axes, and means for oscillating said pressure member and buck, when -in contact, whereby relative surface movements thereof take place.

LEO M. KAHN. 

